Laying or constructing concrete courses.



E. RANSOME.

LMING 0H SDNS'RUC-ING CONCRETE COURSES.

APPUCATIQN min .quash 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l my l. I n 'Il' I E. L. ESOME.

mma 0R cmssmumwm CGNCRETE COURSES.

l t; fno Kyra APPLICATION FILED AUGHL 1912. y .U :j @3339 {@D PatentedDec.. 14, LA@

5 SHEETS-SHEET l? E. L. HANS-OME.

LAYING 0R CONSTRUCTING CONCRETE COURSES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-31.1912.

E. L. 'f-INSUWIE.

LAYING 0R CONSTRUCTING CONCRETE COURSES.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.3I. 1912.

LSY@ Patented Dec. 14,1915.

s sHEeTs-SIIEET 4.

Z /I goe: da n u@ III/Coz TE STTES TENT LAYING 0R, CONSTEUCTING CONCRETECOURSES.

Specification of Letters' Batent;

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Application meri august 31, 1912. y serial 110,718,168.

Tol all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST L. RANSOME, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Plainfield, State of New Jersey,.(whose post-officeaddress is 90 West street, borough of Manhattan, New York city, countyand vState of New York,) .have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Laying or Constructing Concrete Courses, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

were designed to travel progressively with the formation of the work ofthis character,

and to shape and compress. the concrete, forming the finished pavementlor sidewalk 0r other work. No provision, however, was made forsupplyinga mold with the materials of which the pavement or sidewalk was formed,and usually such materials, commonly called concrete, were shoveledmanually into or in advance of the mold.

My invention seeks to provide means by which the concrete or othercomposition may be made on the mold by mixers and like devices to whichthe raw materials are supplied, thus attaningthe double advantage of aself-contained .machine byv which all of the work may be performed, andwhich, advancing as a unit over the work, will permit the applicationthereto of the necessary amount of pressure or weight to the concreteand at the Sametime utilizing the load involved for the useful purposeof mixing or compounding the materials of which the pavement is formed.

of the gear for driving various'ofthe mo`ving parts, Fig, 6 is a crosssectional elevation of 'one of the dividing'blades andthe gear fordriving it, andv Fig. 7 is a detailed` section-on the line 7-'7 of Fig.6.

Asy shown best in Figs. 3 and L1, the machine isl supported at its sidesby runners or downwardly projecting side walls 10 furnished with shoes11 and. 12, one at each side. These shoes engage the foundation surfaceor ground and,lwith the leveler shoe, to be hereinafter mentioned,constitute the main supports of the machine, when not in operation. Theyrun the whole length of the machine except as they may be broken at onepoint or another for the addition of some other part. At the front endof the machine, as shown in Fig. 3, a horizontally disposed leveler shoe14 reaches across the width of the machine from one side to the otherand is adapted to slide over the foundation ground lline indicated at ain the drawings, smoothing or finishing the same preparatory to theapplication of the main body or 'lower strata of the concrete workconstituting the pavement or other structure to be formed. This levelingshoe 14 has just rearward of it agap 15 for the lsaid main body orlower` the rear extremity of the machine, though' it is broken atcertain points, as will be' hereinafter explained. Fig. 4 shows saidwall.

16 in its relation to the side walls and runners 10.' These side wallsor runners and the molding wall 16 therefore shape andform the concretestructure' and the cross sectioned form of such structure depends tionalform is rectangular, as would be the case in forming a pave ent lorsidewalk..

Obviously thel parts 10 and 16 may be var-., ried to suitit/he natureofthe work being formed. For instancefifa pavement is being constructedthe wall'16 ,ma have an arch or camber to allow for ,the rainage to thegutters. f .In the said molding wall 16 thereare gates or/opcnin e 17--"18and 19. The first of these` is :E02` Opit'ation of a.

. upon the cross sectional relation of the parts 15 and V16. As hereshown, such cross sectransversely disposed blade 20 which is driven bysuitable mechanism through the main body of the concrete to form antransverse kerf or division gap therein. This is afterward vfilled inwith a body of finer grade concrete or sand and cement by the operationof a hinged cup 21. The gap 18 is adapted to permit charging under themolding wall 16 a comparatively thin layer of the finer grade concreteor cement, which forms the'top finish or wearing surface of thestructure being laid; and finally the gap 19 accommodates the transverseblade 22, which produces in the fine grade of concrete which fills thefirst formed kerf, a thin kerf or incision for the purpose of preventingthe pavement from cracking as it hardens and dries. V

The apparatus 'so far described is the sameV as my prior Patents, N o.1,042,822 of oct. 29, 1912, and No. 940,061, of Nov. 16, 1909.

My present improvements lie in a combination of such traveling mold witha device for mixing and forming thev concrete mixtures andthe gearingand prime mover or engine for driving the apparatus. y

23 indicates a centrally located longitudinally disposed trough in whichis arranged aworm or screw 24 adapted to rotate on its central axis.These parts constitute a combined concrete mixing apparatus and conveyerfor receiving materials of which the concrete is formed from the hoppers25, 26 and 27 and simultaneously mixing such maf terials together toform what is -commonly termed concrete and advancing the same forward tothe gap 15. Here such concrete is received upon two oppositely pitchedscrews or worms 28 which take up the concrete and in vconstantlyrotating, spread the same out transversely across the width of themachine and drop it to the full length of the opening 15. In this mannerthe concrete is spread' out uniformly between the said side walls orrunners of the machine, filling the space between the runners and thewalls 16. The machine is intended to advance continuously except whenthe kerfs are being formed in the work, and therefore the molding parts,10 and 16, slide over the concrete and compress and shape the same intothe finished structure.

The machine, of course, is suitably` ahead by the operfibon of a drum 32which isv driven from th engine 29 under proper control and whic?.operates on a cable 32. This cable is anchored ahead of the machine sothat by the operation of the drum the machine is drawn toward theanchor. This cable passes a block at the anchor and is returned to themachine as indicated at 33 in Fig. 1, and one part of the bridle has adevice 3l connected therewith for adjusting it on the machine.l Thisserves to lengthen or shorten such part of the bridle, and in thismanner the machine maybe slewed or cut from'one side to the other,thereby steering the machine and enabling it to ybe kept correctly onthe course over which the work is to be laid.

The concrete of commerce is usually composed of. stone, sand and cement,and for the reception of these ingredients the said hoppers 25, 26 and27 are provided, the hoppers 25 and 26 being adapted for the stone andsand while the hopper' y27 is adapted for the cement. Under said hoppersreciprocating gates 35 are located which are driven by a suitablemechanismV from the engine in such a. way that they measure and deliverwith each reciprocation, quantities of concrete ingredients into thetrough 23, where they are mixed with the concrete and advanced asexplained.

The details of the mechanism for reciproeating said gates 35 will not behere exv plained, since they have nothing to do with the essentialfeatures of the invention. The hoppers 25 and 26 are designed to becharged from time to time by an elevator 36. This is in the form of aplane chute adapted to swing around a longitudinally disposed shaft, 37,said shaft being` arranged with bearings in bracket plates,`38, by whichthe position of the chute can be adjusted lo accommodate the position ofthe elevator for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained, andwhich will be also observed' on the superstructure 39, may be readilyreversed on the form 40 so that the said chute or elevator 36 may beconveniently 'arranged at either side of the machine. The chute orelevator 36 has at its outer end a platform 11 attached thereto andswinging with it. On this platform the materials of the concrete may bedumped from wagons or carts when the elevator is in the lower positionshown by full lines in Fig. 4:. Then `by raising the elevator to theposition shown vin. the broken lines in Fig. f1 the concrete of theelvator will slide by gravity inward and downward and pass from theinner end of the elevator into the said hoppers 25 and 26 or intocertain other hoppers to be hereinafter described, according to theadjustment of the gate 42. 13 indicates a switch pivotally mounted inthe elevator which may be thrown to one or theother side as indicated bythe broken lines in Fig. 1, thereby directing the contents of theelevator into either the hopper 25 or 26 as may be desired. The elevatoris raised in the manner described by means of cables 44 running overdrums 45. These drums are carried on a shaft 46 in the superstructure39. Said shaft also carries a drum 47 over which a cable 48 runs, past asuitable wedge block to drum 49, geared with and driven from the engine,under the control, of course, of a proper clutch device.

The elevator 36 is mainly intended to fill or supply the hoppers 25' and26. The hopper 27, containing the cement, it is preferred to fill bydumping the bags of cement into the hopper manually. These bags,however, may be raised on the platform of the machine by means of theelevator 36 already described. The position of the gate 42 as shown byfull and broken lines in Fig. 4, determines whether the contents of theelevator fall into the said hoppers 25 and 26 or whether they pass overinto two smaller hoppers, 50 and 51. These hoppers are arrangedalongside of the hoppers 25 and 26 and discharge into a trough 52 whichis similar to the hopper 23 but smaller than .the hopper and designed tocontain the higher grade of material for forming the top or wearingsurface of theJ pavement. A. series of reciprocating gates 53 `controlthe discharge of the hoppers 50 and 51 into the said trough 52 and amixing screw 54 is located in said trough to mix and advance the saidhigher grade of concrete and cement to the opening 18 in the moldingwall 16. At this point said higher grade of concrete is spread over thetop of the main body of the concrete and smoothed over and molded intoshape bv the rearward extremity of the molding wall 16.

It will therefore be seen that I provide a mold with a power plant whichserves the dual purpose of drawing the mold ahead with the formation ofthe work and driving the various mixing devices and the devices fordisposing of or feeding the concrete and the devices for forming thejoints. It will also be seen that there are .two mixing devicesrespectively for the main body of the concrete and the higher grade orwearing surface, and that these are intended to be supplied withmaterials by an elevator which is adjustable to either side of themachine according to the exigencies of the work. T he forward motion ofthe machine is stopped from time to time as the various kerfs ordivisions are to be formed in the work, and at these intervals the sand,stone and cement. and other materials may be loaded upon the elevatorfrom wagons or other suitable means of transportation. The machine maybe constructed in any width within reasonable limits, and this width maybe equal to the entire width of the work to be formed, or of a part ofthe work. In the construction of pavements it will be advisable,particularly in wide streets, to make the machine so that but a part ofthe width of pavement is laid at one movement, and then the machine maybe advanced along the street a second or even a third time to completethe other part of the pavement. For this purpose it will be necessary toprovide for the adjustment of the pivotal point 37 of the elevator 36.This I have already eX- plained. Through the plurality of bearings ofthe brackets 38 it will also be convenient to adjust the shoes 15 and 12vertically on the said walls, 10, and it will be seen by reference toFig. 4 that this is provided for. There the shoe 11- is shown raised tothe elevation of the molding wall 16 while the shoe 12 is placed at theelevation of the loading platform 41. This contemplates the arrangementof the machine where a length of pavement has already beenconstructedf-that is to say, the length at the left hand side of thepavement on Fig. 4. The shoe 11 then runs on top of the length ofpavement thus constructed, while the shoe 12 drops down to the groundline on which the pavement is formed. If the elevator 36 is located onthe pavement side (the left hand side on Fig. 4) its pivotal point 37must be correspondingly raised as explained.

The molding wall 16 compresses the concrete during the operation of themachine while the side walls or runners 10, limit the downward orcompressing motion.

The exact form and construction of the molding surface 16 shown in thedrawings is not important and may therefore be altered to suit the workwhich the machine is performing, and other conditions under which it isoperated, all of which may be effected without departing from the spiritof my invention. as long as the principles of operation and organizationherein described are carried out.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new- 1. Apparatus forforming reaches of concrete work comprising a mold adapted to move overthe work. shoes at the sides of the mold and means for verticallyadiusting the shoes on the mold whereby said shoes may ride at differentelevations one on the finished and the other on the unfinishedportion'of the work.

2. An apparatus for forming reaches of concrete work comprising a moldadapted to travel along the work. a shoe on each side of the mold andindependently adjustable means 'for mounting the shoes on the moldwherebv each shoe may ride either on the finished or unfinished portionsof the work and the apparatus adapted to construct the entire width ofthe work at a single movement over the same or to construct separatematching sections of the work by Successive movements.

3. An apparatus for forming concrete reaches comprising a mold adaptedto advance progressively with the formation of the work, to shape andcompress the same,

said mold hai/,ing two dischargingl points respectively for concreteofdiferent grades, means for loading the materials of which the concreteis formed on to the mold and two combined mixing and conveying devicesextending from the loading means respectively to said points ofdischarge whereby the concrete of different grades is simultaneouslymixed and advanced to the respeci tive discharge points.

4. In an apparatus for forming reaches of concrete work` the combinationof plural molding means two Conveying mixers working in oppositedirections respectively to discharge the concrete to said molding means,a group of bins juxtaposed to said mixers to supply thereto the concretematerials7 and a means for delivering and distributing the materials tosaid bins.,

5. In an apparatus for forming reaches of concrete work, the combinationof plural molding means two conveying mixers worlring in oppositedirections respectivelv to discharge the concrete to said molding means,a group of bins juxtaposed to said mixers to supply thereto the concretematerials, and a means for delivering and distributing the materials tosaid bins, cornprising an elevator land a switch therein to throw saidmaterials to one or the other of the bins.

6. An apparatus for forming continuous reaches of concrete workcomprising a mold adapted to advance continuously along the workprogressively with the formation thereof and adapted to shape andcompress the same. means for loading on to said apparatus the materialsof which the concrete is formed without interrupting the continnousmovements thereof and a combined mixing and conveying means mounted onthe mold and extending from said means for loading the materials to thepoint of discharge of the concrete whereby simulta neously to mix saidmaterials and deliver the mixed concrete to the point of discharge.

In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name to this specification inthe presence' of two subscribing witnesses this 5th day of August, 1912.

ALnxIs SATTsi-mz, M. L. ORPHAL.

